IHSA: ‘Intervention seems odd’

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois High School Association makes millions of dollars off of high school sports including basketball and football

And the IHSA defended its financial records and operations Tuesday in front of a panel of state lawmakers amid criticism about a lack of transparency and talks of shifting its responsibilities to the state.

IHSA officials testified before a House committee after lawmakers narrowly voted last month to bring them to Springfield for a hearing.

Democratic Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia of Aurora sponsored the nonbinding legislation that seeks to investigate the organization’s private contracts, revenue distribution to schools and the possibility of folding extracurricular activities into the Illinois State Board of Education.

The IHSA is a nonprofit organization that administers high school athletic events and activities.

IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman argued that his group — which doesn’t charge schools a fee to join the association — posts financial audits online and uses money from profitable events and contracts to fund nonrevenue generating events such as bass fishing, chess and the Scholastic Bowl.

“We pay our bills. We fund our pension. We have great programs for kids, and they all benefit from their participation in interscholastic athletics. Why that would warrant some government intervention seems odd to us,” Hickman said.

The IHSA made about $5.7 million from championship contests last year. Financial records posted on the association’s website show the IHSA kept $1.9 million and gave schools $2.7 million, while the remaining $1 million covered officials’ fees. IHSA also earned about $500,000 from royalties, media and contracts with companies such as Nike, Gatorade and Country Financial.

State Board of Education officials said they haven’t discussed taking control of sometimes profitable extracurricular activities, adding that they would need more taxpayer dollars to do so. Still, Democratic Rep. Kenneth Dunkin of Chicago says it’s a possibility, depending on information revealed in hearings he’s organizing in Chicago.

Those hearings are expected to begin this summer.

“They may come under state jurisdiction since they benefit financially, directly not indirectly, based off of public funding of transportation, schools, public facilities,” Dunkin said.